Why did you want to join the USC Newcomers’ Club?
I moved here to be close to my daughter and her family. They were the only people I knew in Pittsburgh. Being the social animal I am I wanted to expand my circle.
Where did you recently move from?
It was a double move. My husband Jay was living in San Francisco, CA, while I was selling our former house in Rochester, NY. I commuted between San Francisco, Rochester and Pittsburgh. Our Pittsburgh daughter (Victoria Kulli, a Newcomers member) had several children, a husband who traveled, and was getting her BA in nursing. I enjoyed my grandboys and came here to help. Loved it so much that Jay & I decided to retire here.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Bergen County, NJ. At the time it was a small rural place which I disliked, In retrospect a great place since I had the freedom to ride the bus into NYC and experience all the art and music the city had to offer.
Where did you go to college and what did you study?
I continued my trips into NYC and went to Parsons School of Design. I began studying fashion illustration but migrated to photography and fine art. My dad, ever the most practical, insisted I get a salable skill, so I went on to Syracuse University. There I continued fine art studies, but included photo journalism.
What do you do for your day job?
I am retired from my day job. I worked as a cameraman for CNN, a medical photographer, a scientific research photographer for several universities and took photos for newspapers as well. Most recently I was on the board of Visual Studies Workshop, a graduate school connected to the State University of New York at Brockport.
Do you have any kids? If so what are their names and ages?
I have four kids, Victoria, (Tory) a mother of 4 and a member of Newcomers herself, Alexander, Martin, who lives with his wife and 4 month old in Los Angeles and Anne, a new mother of a 6 month old living in Mt Lebanon. Unfortunately, our hearts were broken when we lost our eldest son Alexander to heart failure about ten years ago.,
Do you have any pets?
We have a dog, a Golden-doodle who is charcoal gray, named Rosalind, and two Siberian long-haired cats one white and one caramel named after the artists: Hockney and Ruscha.
What do you like to do for fun?
I paint, I take photographs, which I manipulate in my electronic darkroom and I play with my grandchildren. I also read and belong to the newcomers book group.
What books on your shelf are begging to be read?
“Harvard Square” by Andre Aciman, “The Deepest Secret” by Carla Buckley,
What’s the biggest goal you are working on now?
I have a photo show in New Jersey the beginning of May. I’m finishing taking some of the photographs, as well as printing them 13×19″ on a new photo printer. Then I have to frame them.
What upcoming Newcomers’ event are you looking forward to attending?
The couples events are exciting for us. We look forward to the Progressive Dinner where we both can meet people new to USC. May 31st is the one this year. – the theme will be “A Taste of the Low Country”, that’s coastal southern folks, Yum! Enjoy food from South Carolina and new friends with us.
What other things do you want your fellow newcomers to know about yourself?
I love to travel, have visited extensively in Europe, Jordan, Cuba, Russia, and much of the USA. I used to design and sew many of my clothes but now I just don’t have the time or desire. I also have a tattoo over my caesarian scar of the initials of my children.
